Vegetable-cutter.



No. 644,978. Patented Mar. 6, I900.

G. B. GHEASER.

VEGETABLE CUTTER.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets Sheet wuewboz dea -ye .23. a ase r.-

art 0744615 nk/human Y Patented Mar. 6, I900. G. B. GREASER. VEGETABLECUTTER.

(Application filed July 14, 1897.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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GEORGE l3. GREASER, OF DRAB, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEGETABLE-CUTTER? SiECIFICATIbN retina art of Letters'Patent N6.644,978, and Mason 6, 1900.

Application filed July 14, 1897- Serial No. 644,554. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may conceive.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. GREASER, ofDrab, in the county of Blairand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vegetable-Cutters; and'I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to a machine for ting corn, kraut, and othervegetables.

One object of the present invention is to provide a structure by whichcorn and similar vegetables can be scored and sliced from the ear, whileby a slight change the machine can be used for slicing other vegetables.

A further object is to improve generally upon devices of this character.

The invention therefore consists in the various matters hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 isa top plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the linexocof Fig. 1;Fig. 4, an end elevation; and Fig. 5 is a detail of the mechanism uponthe corn-holding member for rotating the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A represents the baseof the present machine, this base comprising a bottom plate a, a portionof which is cut away, as at a, to accommodate the slicing and cuttingmembers A. Upon the edges of the baseplate a are erected side pieces awhich are provided with grooves a yadapted to act as guides for areciprocating frame. This frame B is of a generally-rectangular shapeand is provided upon its sides b with tenons b, which enter the grooves0. The corn or other vegetable being suitably held in this cuttingframe,reciprocation of the same above the slicing and scoring mechanism A willserve to desiccate the article.

The cutting'mechanism comprises a series of knives a extending acrossthe opening a in the bottom plate of the machine, these knives restingupon a series of shoulders, so

cut-

that each knife lies in a different plane. Suitable set-screws, as apassing through the base-plate serve to raise and lower the knives, thusregulatingthe distance between them, and consequently the width of thecut. scoring member comprises a block a, which fits one end of theopening a and has cars a projecting from its upper surface, which earsrest upon the shoulders a of the base-plate. Suitable set-screws a arealso provided for raising and lowering the block. Scorers a are set inthis block and are firmly retained in place by means of a metallic platea, fastened upon the block in rear of the scorers.

Returning now to. the reciprocating frame, it will be seen that in oneend of the sides thereof grooves b are provided, in which grooves slidesa block 12 the member for holding one end of an earof corn or similarvegetable being carried by this block. Suitable stops, such as notchesb, are also provided in the sides of this frame along the grooves, and alever b pivoted upon the block 12 has piv- The oted upon each side ofits own pivot arms I),

adapted to enter the notches b and to be withdrawn therefrom uponsuitable movement of the lever b Guides 17 are secured upon the blockand serve to impart the proper direction to the movement of the arms bIn this manner the block can be adjusted to accommodate ears ofdifferent lengths. Brackets b and b are secured upon the block 5 and aplunger 6 is seated in these brackets. The

forward end of the plunger-2'. e., that end toward thehereinafter-described coacting member for supporting the corn--isprovided with a cup-shaped depression or socket Z9 adapted to receiveone end of the corn -ear. A coiled spring b is arranged upon the stem ofthis plunger in a well-known manner, the function of the spring being tohold the plunger firmly against the cob. The plunger is free to rotatein its brackets for a purpose which will be fully understood after thedescription of the other mechanism of the machine.

A cross-bar Z2 extends between the sides of the cutting-frame, and in anelongated slot b in a bracket Z2 carried by this cross-bar, is seated ashaft 19 this shaft being further journaled through the end piece b" ofthe frame, as at Z9 As shown, the shaft is pro- Vided with a shoulderwhich revolves against a metallic plate upon the inner side of the I endpiece. The end of this shaft lying toward the before-mentioned plungeris sharpened and in combination with a second point I), extending fromthe side of the shaft and projecting substantially parallel with thesame, forms a fork adapted to be inserted in the end of a corncob. Itwill thus be apparent that a cob can be fastened between the fork andthe plunger and reciprocated with the frame, while any rotation giventhe forkcarrying shaft will serve to impart a corresponding motion tothe cornoob. The shaft and plunger are of course so placed that the cobis, in the reciprocation of the frame, carried across the scorers andthe cutting-knives.

The mechanism for rotating the shaft, and consequently the corncob, willnow be described. Upon the shaft 1) is firmly secured a plate Z7 havinga suitable number of points 19 projecting therefrom, this plate beinghere shown in the form of a star. There is also a circular plate D keyedor otherwise fixedly secured upon the shaft b this plate being providedwith notches Z9 adapted to receive a lug 1) upon a lever Z2 pivoted uponthe end piece of the frame. Upon the base-plate 0: are located two camsc0 and at, the function of which is to suitably engage the starshapedplate upon the shaft, and thus impart the required rotation. It will benoticed that one of these cams e lies in substantially the verticalplace which includes the shaft; but one of the sides of the cam iscurved outwardly, as at a. The second cam, c0 lies to'that side of thecam e upon which the curve is formed, said cam e having its forwardendt. e., the end toward the other cam-inclined, as at a. At this pointit should be noticed that the lever Z1 has a depending arm b in the pathof travel of which the cam (r is located. A suitable space being leftbetween the forward portion of the cam 04 and the body portion of thecam at, and the cutting-frame having reached the end of its movement inthe operation of cutting, it will be seen that when the reciprocatingframe is moved backwardly preparatory to making a second stroke the.depending arm b will ride upon the inclined forward portion of the cama, thus lifting the lug (9 from engagement with the notch upon thecircular plate, and following this movement one of the points of thestar-shaped plate will ride upon the inclined portion of the cam, thusgiving the plate sufficient rotation to bring the next following pointof the star-shaped plate in position to enter between the cams in thenext forward movement of the reciprocating frame and to be engaged bythe cam e in the continuation of this forward movement, whereby thepartial rotation of the coboarrying shaft is completed, the parts beingsoarranged that this completion of rotation will be effected and theshaft locked in its new position by means of the lever 19 before the cobpasses over the scorers. It will at once be seen that in the continuedreciprocation of the frame an entire revolution of the shaft will beeffected, thus presenting all portions of the cobs to the scorers andcutting-knives.

Suitable stops b are provided upon one of the side pieces of the basemember, and these are adapted to coact with a lug 19 upon thereciprocating frame to limit the movement of said frame. One of thestops is pivoted and so constructed that when drawn outwardly it willlie out of the path of the lug Z9 thus permitting the frame to beremoved from the body portion of the machine. The shaft Z9 is held inplace by means of a suitable nut, as b fitting upon the threaded end ofsaid shaft, and in order to remove the aforementioned member it is onlynecessary to unscrew the nut, pass the shaft forwardly through the endpiece of the reciprocating frame, and then withdraw the fork end of theshaft through the elongated slot in the bracket 1). The block b can beremoved by withdrawing the locking-arms from the notches in the sides ofthe cutting-frame and passing the block, with its attached members, outof the free end of the grooves Z7 After removing the b ock 12 with itsmembers, (and, if so desired, the shaft b the frame can be employedforcutting kraut or any other vegetable. Preferably, however, a plainrectangular frame is substituted for the before-described reciprocatingframe when it is desired to cut a vegetable of the nature of kraut,slaw, (be. Of course it has been readily seen that the block carryingthe scorers can also be removed from the machine, and, if desired, aplain block can be inserted in its stead. Furthermore, if so desired,the machine can be of sufficient width to accommodate a plurality ofplungers and forked shafts, thus increasing the capacity of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a vegetable-cutter, a reciprocatingframe having ways upon its sid es,ablock upon said Ways, aspring-actuated holder upon said block, a second holder upon saidcuttingframe, and means for adjusting said block longitudinally in theways with relation to the second holder, substantially as described.

2. In a vegetable-cutter, a reciprocating frame provided with ways uponits sides, a block having sliding movement in said Ways,

stops upon the sides along the ways, movable arms upon the block adaptedto engage with and be disengaged from the stops, a holder carried bysaid block, and a second holder carried by the reciprocating framesubstantially as described.

3. In a vegetable-cutter, a reciprocating frame, a holder carried by thesaid frame, a member adjustable with relation to the before-mentionedholder, and a yielding holder upon said adjustable member, the partsbeing so arranged that the holders will coact; substantially asdescribed.

4- In a vegetable-cutter,tl1e com binationo'f cigars 3 a reciprocatingframe, a holder fixed to the frame, a block adjustable in the frame withrelation to the holder,brackets upon the block, a plunger-holder seatedin the brackets, and a spring for keeping the plunger-holder inoperative position.

5. In a vegetable-cutter, the combination of a reciprocating frame, aholder suitably supported upon said frame, grooves in the sides of saidcutting-frame, a block slidable in said grooves, notches formed in thesides along the grooves, a lever pivoted to the block, guides upon saidblock, arms pivoted to the lever and passing through said guides, saidarms being adapted to enter and recede from the notches upon appropriatemovement of the lever, brackets upon said block, aplunger in saidbrackets, said plunger havinga socket formed in its forward end, and acoiled spring bearing at one end against the plunger and at its otherend against one of the brackets, whereby the plunger is normally held ina forward position, the parts being so arranged that the holder and theplunger cooperate to engage and hold an article placed between them;substantially as described.

6. In vegetable-cutters, the combination of a base member havingreciprocating mechanism thereon, a cutting-frame reciprocating on saidbase member, a shaft journaled in said cutting-frame, said shaft beingprovided with a holder, arms upon said shaft, and cams upon the basemember adapted to engage the arms in the reciprocation of the parts andto impart rotation to the shaft; substantially as described.

7. In a \Gg6t&bl6-Olltt6l,tll6 combination of a base member, cuttingmechanism attached to said member,'a frame reciprocating on said basemember, a shaft mounted in the reciprocating frame, the shaft beingprovided with a holder, arms extending from the shaft, a cam on the basemember below the shaft having one of its sides curved outwardly,and asecond cam on the base member lying out of the line of the shaft carriedby the reciprocating frame and to one side of the first-mentioned cam,the second cam having its forward portion inclined, whereby rotation isimparted to the shaft upon operating the reciprocating frame.

8. In a vegetable-cutting machine of the character indicated, a holder,a reciprocating member, means for reciprocating the holder and cuttingmember one with relation to the other, means for rotating the holder inthe movement of reciprocation, and means for locking said holder inposition during the action of the cutting member; substantiallyasdescribed.

9. A vegetable-cutting machine of the nature indicated, comprising abase member, a reciprocating frame upon said base member, thecutting-frame and base member having reciprocation one with relation tothe other, a shaft journaled upon said cutting-frame, said shaft beingprovided with a'holder, a cutting mechanism upon the base member,

means for rotating the shaft during the re ciprocation of the parts, andmeans for looking said shaft in position, during the action of thecutting mechanism; substantially as described.

10. A vegetable cutting machine of the character indicated, comprising abase :mem-

mitting rotation of the shaft, before again en-.

gaging the locking member with the notches and thus holding the shaftagainst rotation during the action of the cutting mechanism;-

substantially as described.

11. A vegetable cutting machine of the character indicated, comprising abase mem ber, a cutting mechanism upon said base imemher, areciprocating frame upon said base member, said cutting-frame and basemember having reciprocating movement one upon the other, a shaftjournaled upon said cuttingframe,said shaft being provided with aholder, a plate upon said shaft, said plate being pro vided withnotches, a lever upon the reciprocating frame, a log upon said leveradapted to engage with the notches upon the plate, and means forreleasing the lugfrom a notch to permit rotation of the shaft beforeagain throwing the lug into a notch and thus holding the shaft in afixed position during the action of the cutting mechanism; substantiallyas described.

12. A vegetable cutting machine of the character indicated comprising abasementber,a cutting mechanism upon said base member, a reciprocatingframe upon said base member, said base member and frame havingreciprocation one upon the other, a shaft j'ournaled in saidreciprocating frame, said shaft being provided with a holder, a platehaving notches therein upon said shaft, alever upon the reciprocatingframe, a lug upon said lever adapted to engage the notches in the plate,an arm upon said lever, and a cam upon the base member in the path ofthe before-mentioned arm, whereby during the reciprocation of the frame,the lug will be disengaged from its notch in the plate and held fromsaid ongagement during rotation of the shaft but will engage a notchafter the shaft has been sufficiently rotated; substantially asdescribed.

13. A machine of the character indicated comprising a base memberprovided with a reoi procating mechanism, a cutting-frame upon said basemember, said frame and base mem-* her having reciprocation one withrelation to' the other, a shaft journaled upon said re- 4 Mists thelever, said second cain lying toward the curved side of thefirst-mentioned cam and having its forward portion inclined;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE E. GREASER WVitnesses: E. B. STONEROOK, H. D. STONERQOK.

